OCnotes, whose album Color Wheel is available for download in PlayBack, is one of 50 local artists in the program.
OCnotes, whose album Color Wheel is available for download in PlayBack, is one of 50 local artists in the program. Kelly O

On August 8, Seattle Public Library instituted a program called PlayBack that allows the public to download local music for free, if you're a library cardholder. (Anyone can stream the music for free.) Currently, PlayBack contains songs by 50 Seattle artists, which you can access here. Some of the artists involved include Stranger Genius winners Industrial Revelation and Lori Goldston, Stranger Genius nominee OCnotes, Tomo Nakayama, Fly Moon Royalty, and Grace Love and the True Loves. Overall, the selections encompass several genres, including rock, hiphop, experimental, jazz, punk, electronic, and funk, as well as Bulgarian Voices of Seattle Women's Choir.

According to its press release, "PlayBack is open to all Seattle-area musicians who record or perform in the city of Seattle and have had an album produced within the last five years. PlayBack is intended to be an ever-expanding collection of Seattle's musical culture, and a total of 100 new albums will be available each year through the Library's catalog." The selections for the first submission period were made by a committee featuring Stranger freelancer Larry Mizell Jr., Vera Project/Seattle music commissioner Tim Lennon, Three Imaginary Girls co-founder Liz Riley Tollefson, SPL librarian Kreg Hasegawa, and SPL program director Meira Jough. Artists whose releases make the cut receive a $200 honorarium.

If you're a musician looking to get into PlayBack, be aware that another submission opportunity will arise later this year. Watch PlayBack's Information for Artists page for more information.

To commemorate the musicians involved with PlayBack, SPL is holding a free launch party at Columbia City Theater on August 25 (6 pm-9 pm, 21+). Performing that night are Sun Breaks and Fly Moon Royalty with KEXP DJ El Toro (aka Stranger writer Kurt B. Reighley) spinning music by PlayBack artists between sets.